How to Live by the Spirit

A white dove often symbolizes the Holy Spirit in Christian artwork.

The God of Christianity is three-in-one --- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The third Person of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit, Whom Christians believe comes to indwell them when they ask Christ into their hearts. The New Testament instructs Christians to "live by the Spirit" --- meaning through a relationship with Jesus you will live a pure, loving, unselfish life of devotion to God and service to others. Applying several passages in the Bible make it simpler.

Instructions

1. Repent of your sin. Repentance is the essential first step to both coming to Christ to begin with and living the Christian life afterward. The Bible teaches that no one gets close to God without it. "God...commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him." (Acts 17:30 NLT). Repentance means not just confessing, but abandoning sinful behavior. Sometimes it's necessary to confess wrongdoing to others, restore goods or sincerely attempting to mend frayed relationships.

2. Walk in the light that you have. This often-repeated advice means if you want guidance from God, obey Him in areas where He's already made His will clear. Some Christians, having heard mature disciples' glowing reports of dramatic prayer guidance, become obsessed with getting minute specifics from God and lose sight of the broad principles they've already been taught. Obey the commands you have. This is one possible application of Jesus' story of the three stewards --- "To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given" (Luke 19:26 NLT).

3. Let go of the wheel. The Bible teaches that when you come to Christ, you give up control of your own life. You won't want to clutch things to yourself as much. At any time, Jesus may want you to do things that were not in your original life plan, seemingly not to your personal advantage or even things that, though right, are quite hard or even painful. However, it is the consistent teaching of Scripture and the report of Christians throughout history that it's relinquishment --- the willingness to give up your own desires and self-interests and say "yes" to God --- especially when it's hard --- that shows you are living by the Spirit.

4. Cultivate a grateful attitude. The Bible is peppered with songs and praises to God. Some parts intimate that a thankful heart paves the way for closeness to God: "Whoever presents a thank-offering honors me. To whoever obeys my commands, I will reveal my power to deliver" (Psalm 50:23 NETBible). The letters of the Apostle Paul advised the early Christians to be thankful and to sing praises to God even when they were in physical danger --- as he himself often was --- and the visions of John the Revelator describe heaven pulsating with song.

5. Relax. Paul advised the Galatian Christians that the fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT). Although Christians are encouraged to pursue these things, they cannot ever be manufactured or maintained by our efforts. The Bible teaches that the Spirit gives them, and when He comes close, it is always a gift. Some who experience this "filling of the Spirit" describe it as "waves of tenderness like warm oil being poured over me," "the most joyful moment I've ever known in my life" and "infinite gentleness." Or, as Paul once put it, "...a better way" (I Corinthians 12:31 The Message).

References

• Our Prayer: Prayer of Relinquishment
• "The Helper" : Catherine Marshall, 1978
• Net Bible: Galatians 5:22

Resources

• Bible Gateway